Hats off to Jayasuriya

Wherever you are playing, whoever you are playing, whatever the conditions, the opening match of a tournament is always a good one to win for any team.

And with Sanath Jayasuriya leading from the front, it was certainly a creditable win for Sri Lanka against New Zealand in the triangular tournament. If it wasn't really an overwhelming victory, then the Lankan captain, who also won the Man of the Match award, must have been happy overall with his team's performance.

Given that 220 was not a big target to defend, especially in the sub-continent, what the Lankans did was certainly commendable. Even if it wasn't vintage Jayasuriya, the one that we are used to seeing belt the bowling at a run a ball, the Lankan skipper did exactly what he needed to. It was not the slam-bang approach one normally associates with him and this is understandable given his responsibilities now as the leader of a team in transition.

So, he curbed his shots, and went for the kill whenever necessary. His was an excellent and determined innings. It was also commendable the way Jayasuriya got his team together when the wicket was not helping the bowlers in any way. Jayasuriya was able to do it because he commands respect on and off the field. Hats off to him. Nevertheless, it was truly a team effort from Sri Lanka. New Zealand, surely, made a mess of its batting, thus missing a golden opportunity to get a headstart in the series. Stephen Fleming's team did a good job in restricting the Lankans to a modest total but succumbed meekly to the youthful bowling attack of the Lankans. The way the Kiwi batting collapsed was surprising. Too many wickets were lost too soon early in the innings and as much as Harris and Parore tried to make up for the early collapse, once the top order was felled it was an uphill task for the New Zealanders.

Surely, Fleming's men would be agonising over their defeat. They are a professional lot and I am sure they will do their homework and come back a better team for their second match. However, credit should be given to the Lankan bowlers. The emergence of young bowlers augurs well for Sri Lanka. Dilhara Fernando bowled with great heart and seems genuinely quick. The youngsters are raring to go and this is indeed a good sign for the team.

India is not far behind in the talented youngsters department.

We have Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Yuveraj Singh who display a positive attitude, and are very much keen on playing their heart out for the team. Given the right opportunities, there is no doubt that these youngsters will flourish. As much as in the Lankan side, even in the Indian team, the youngsters should grab the opportunities on offer in this tournament and make a name for themselves.

In international cricket, the ones that succeed among the younger lot are the ones that are ready and eager to make the most of the opportunities that come their way.

K.SRIKKANTH

www.krishsrikkanth.com

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